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    Arizona DUI attorney

    Hit-and-run DUI can run you into a felony

    Criminal2 6.45.51 PMHere is a question for my readers:  What’s worse than driving drunk or drugged and getting into an accident?  Answer:  Driving drunk or drugged, getting into an accident, and fleeing the scene of the accident.  You can call it hit-and-run, failure to stop, or leaving the scene. It all comes down to this:  hit-and-run DUI can run you into a felony.

    As readers of this blog may already know, a DUI conviction can be a simple misdemeanor.  However, repeat offenses and other contributing factors can add up to a DUI felony charge in Arizona. Leaving the scene of an accident that involves any injury or death is always a felony.  Leaving the scene of an accident when only vehicle damage occurs is usually a misdemeanor.

    You may think you would be lucky if all you had to pay for was damage to a vehicle, or a couple of vehicles.  Although “lucky” is not a term anyone would normally associate with a DUI charge, vehicle damage is certainly different from harming a person with your actions behind the wheel. Because the other penalties, in cases of death and injury plus failure to stop, include incarceration from four to ten years added on consecutively to other time being served for other charges, driver’s license revocation from five to ten years, fines and other restitution, and the use of an IID (ignition interlock device).

    It is common sense–not legal advice–that if you are involved in any kind of motor accident, to stop immediately and call the police.  If you are involved in a DUI situation, your actions at the scene may have major consequences.  If you would like to know more about how DUI laws may affect you, or you are facing any DUI-related situation, contact Zachary Law Group.  We offer a FREE 30-minute case evaluation to help identify any legal issues that concern you.  Then we can work together to “Zach-It” – that is, establish and protect your legal rights, and pursue the best possible solution.

    Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you believe you need legal advice. Contact us at 1-855-Zach-law.

    St. Patricks Day DUI and Field Sobriety Checkpoints

    Zachary Law Group, would like to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  Below is a current list of DUI and Sobriety check points in the Phoenix Metro Area!

    Monday, March 17: The East Valley DUI Task Force will be in Mesa from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.

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    Friday, March 14 to Monday March 17: The Salt River police will be on the reservation’s border with Scottsdale, from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.

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    Friday, March 14 to Monday March 17: Police in Phoenix will be operating “saturation patrols” based out of the following areas, from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.:

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    Drug DUI in Arizona

    DrugLawDrug DUI in Arizona can be misdemeanors or felonies, just like those involving drinking.

    Most people, when they hear the term DUI, associate the term “under the influence” with drinking too much alcohol.  But the fact is, in Arizona and elsewhere, many DUI offenses relate not to alcohol impairment, but to drugs.  The effect of many chemical substances on a driver’s judgment, reflexes, and other aspects of operating a vehicle can be as devastating as alcohol’s are, and the penalties are just as severe.

    The test that law enforcement personnel may order to determine drug impairment is a blood test, since it is fair to assume that a breath test may not reveal drug consumption as readily as it does alcohol levels.  In either scenario, if the driver’s blood does test positive for any (illegal) drug, a DUI charge can result.  What’s more, in certain situations even legal prescription medications that cause impaired driving can lead to a DUI charge.  And, if you’re wondering if that reference to prescriptions includes legal medical marijuana, the answer is absolutely yes.  Drug DUIs do include marijuana as a potentially “actionable” substance.

    Of course, nothing in this blog should be taken as legal advice.  If you have a DUI-related problem, your first thought should be to acquire experienced legal advice from an attorney well-versed in DUI matters.  If you have questions about what Arizona law has to say about drug DUI, or you find yourself in a situation that calls for legal assistance, you may want to bring your issues to an experienced attorney at Zachary Law Group.  We offer a FREE 30-minute case evaluation to get started on finding solutions for you.  We can go to work on your behalf, to assert and protect your legal rights.  That’s how we work; we “Zach-It!”  Contact us today at 1-855-Zach-law.

    How an Arizona DUI conviction can get you into a “fine” mess

    Man holding money largeWhen someone is convicted on a DUI charge here in Arizona, the penalties can include jail time, monetary fines, required community service, driver’s license suspension, and drug/alcohol testing, counseling and education – just to name a few.

    Sometimes, just the suggestion of incarceration or a felony conviction is enough to keep a person on the straight and narrow.  But for some people, the most frightening punishment of all is the financial kind.  So let’s talk about DUI strictly in monetary terms.

    Here is the tally of possible fines for an initial DUI conviction:

    • DUI Base Fine = $250
    • Arizona DUI Surcharge = $200
    • Probation Surcharge = $10
    • Prison Construction Assessment = $500
    • Arizona Xtra DUI Assessment = $500

    That adds up to just under $1500, but additional fines are also possible.  This amount does not include court imposed surcharges, court imposed counseling fees, Mothers Against Drunk Driving course fee, or interlock fee, just to name a few.  With a first time DUI conviction you could easily pay $2,000 or more.

    For a second conviction, the fines can jump quite a bit higher:

    • DUI Base Fine = $500
    • Arizona DUI Surcharge= $400
    • Probation Surcharge = $10
    • Prison Construction Assessment = $1,250
    • Arizona Xtra DUI Assessment = $1,250
    • Again, you may incur extra costs, like paying to install an interlock ignition device, for example.

    The fines for a third and/or Aggravated DUI conviction are yet steeper.

    • DUI Base Fine = $750
    • Arizona DUI Surcharge = $600
    • Probation Surcharge  = $10
    • Prison Construction Assessment =  $1,500
    • Arizona Xtra DUI Assessment = $1,500
    • DUI Abatement Fee = $250

    My point here is that a DUI conviction can have disastrous financial consequences in addition to possible criminal penalties.  The best way to avoid it all is to not get behind the wheel if you are in any way at risk.

    Should you find yourself in need of help with a DUI-related legal problem, contact an experienced attorney at Zachary Law Group.  Not only do we offer a FREE 30-minute case evaluation, we dedicate ourselves to finding the best possible solution to your case.  Let us help you “Zach-It.” Put the power of the law on your side, to assert and protect your rights.  Call us today at 1-855-Zach-law.

    DUI penalties in Arizona

    California DUI Beer at StadiumThe offense of driving under the influence (DUI) is punishable under Arizona law by several different kinds of penalties.  Those penalties can fall within different categories of criminal offenses from misdemeanors to felonies.

    If the charge is a first offense, for example, and falls within a certain blood alcohol content range, it will likely be charged as a misdemeanor. There may be jail time. Fines may be associated with the conviction.  Counseling can also be required.

    From there, the consequences of more serious DUI offenses also get more serious.  Fines get higher.  You can lose your driver’s license for a year or even longer.  There can be more jail time.  An ignition interlock device may be required for your vehicle.  And depending on the offense, there may be a felony conviction as well.

    If you are curious, you can read the complete list of offenses and penalties online. But let’s face it, reading a list on a screen may not necessarily feel “real.”  You may think, oh, that will never happen to me, so what do I want to know, or even need to know about DUI penalties in Arizona? But the fact is, at some time or another you might find yourself facing a DUI charge.  You may feel you have no options, nowhere to look for help, and no idea of how your situation will turn out.

    If you are charged with a DUI in Arizona, talk with an experienced DUI defense attorney at Zachary Law Group.  We offer a FREE 30-minute case evaluation.  We will listen, answer questions, and work with you to find out all we can about your situation.  “Experience our approach to finding workable solutions to your legal issues.  Instead of waiting or worrying, simply give us a call today.  The sooner you do, the sooner we can “Zach-It!” by putting the power of the law on your side.  Call us today at 1-855-Zach-law.

     

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